One Night With My Alpha Professor
One Night 91

Chapter

91

Audrey & Third Person

Audrey's POV

"So it was you.

The man in the midnight blue mask remained silent, crouching just feet away from me. This was no stranger; this was Edwin. Edwin was the one who had kissed me at the masquerade And 125

Edwin was the one who had saved my life.

Slowly. I picked up my skirt and walked toward him. As I approached, I could see the smallest droplet of red at the corner of his mouth-blood, but not his. The attacker's.

With trembling hands, I reached out and gently removed his mask. I was met with those high cheekbones, that aquiline nose that I had come to know so well. He didn't flinch away as I revealed his face. It was definitely him, although he looked different with colored contacts and a clean-shaven face. But I felt like a fool for not realizing it sooner.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. I had never seen his face without stubble before-the smooth contours of his cheeks, the sharp line of his jaw. Without thinking, I cupped his face in one hand and traced my thumb across his skin, marveling at the smoothness. He leaned into my touch, his eyes closing briefly.

"Are you mad at me?" Edwin finally broke the silence, his voice hardly more than a whisper. "For coming tonight?"

I blinked at him in shock, then shook my head, I was still unable to speak, too stunned by what had happened to replace the right words.

Noticing my silence, he continued, "I heard that Max was planning something tonight. That he intended to harm you at the masquerade" He paused, tilting his head slightly to look up at me, but remained in a crouch in front of me. "I couldn't... I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt or upset. So I came to keep an eye on you, but I didn't want you to know I was

here."

Awry smile tugged at his lips before I could respond. "But it seems as though fate had other plans for me tonight."

When he finished speaking, he looked over his shoulder in the direction that the small gray wolf had run. The maze-like corridors of the estate were quiet now, save for the distant echo of the masquerade music.

"Of course I'm not mad," I said softly, I swallowed hard. "How could I be? You saved me. You're... you're my hero, Edwin."

His eyes widened slightly at my words.

"And I'm sorry" I added before he could say anything else, feeling a lump form in my throat. "For yelling at you the other day. You were just trying to help, and I pushed you away"

Edwin caught my gaze, his eyes intense even through the colored contacts. "Do you trust me now, Audrey?"

"I've always trusted you."JE!

I I felt my face redden to an impossible shade. Even when I don't want to admit it."

I noticed that the smear of blood had made its way down to his chin, and I quickly reached into my pocket for my handkerchief Gently, I wiped the blood from his face. As I did, Edwin caught my wrist in his hand, his thumb brushing over my pulse point.

We should go, Edwin said, his voice low. "The attacker is gone, but we shouldn't linger here."

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I nodded, too stunned by the sensation of his cool fingers wrapped around my waist to say anythin

else. He stood up, still holding my wrist, and led me away from the scene of the attack. I followed stu**ly, marveling at the planes of his shoulders as he stalked through the halls.

As we walked, however, thoughts of the attack faded-and were replaced by memories of our dance. Our kiss.

"I want to dance with you again," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Edwin slowed his pace and looked.

me with a surprised expression.

"But... if we go back to the party. I'm not sure if I can pretend it's just for show," I admitted. "Not after everything that's happened."

To my surprise, a small smile played on Edwin's lips. "You really want to dance?" he asked, stopping and turning to look at

The moonlight played shadows across his face, and I wished that I could see the real color of his eyes. I nodded, and he murmured. "Who says we need to go back to the party to dance

Without another word, he suddenly led me through a side door, and suddenly we were in the gardens. The cool night air was a relief after the stuffiness of the hallways. In the distance, I could hear the mu**ed sounds of the orchestra playing, but we were blissfully alone.

Edwin, slipping his mask back on, turned to face me. With a grin, he bowed slightly and extended his hand. "May I have this dance. Miss Thatcher?"

Icouldn't help but giggle as I placed my hand in his. "You may. Professor Brooks."

He pulled me close, one hand on my waist, the other clasping mine. We began to waltz, moving in time with the faint music drifting from inside. I had never been the most experienced dancer, but it didn't matter; Edwin guided me so skillfully, so naturally with his hand pressed into my lower back, that I hardly even felt as if my feet were touching the cobblestones at all

We danced like that, in complete silence, for several long moments. I felt... content. Happy. But there was one last thought on my mind, one loose end left untied.

"Will you... will you still go on the planetarium date with me?"

Edwin's steps faltered for a moment, but only a moment, before he smoothly regained his rhythm. "We shouldn't," he said softly. A muscle feathered in his jaw as he looked over my shoulder and up at the night sky.

My heart sank, but then he continued, "But yes, I will. Even though we shouldn't."

I looked up at him, searching his face. "Why shouldn't we?" I already knew the answer, of course, but for some reason I wanted to hear him say it. Maybe because I just wanted to know if our reasons were the same-outside factors that were pulling us apart, and nothing more.

I wanted to hear him say that it wasn't that he disliked me, that despite these outside factors, he still wanted me. That these factors meant nothing compared to how badly he wanted to close the distance between us.

He sighed, his arm tightening around my waist. He lowered his voice as though he might be overheard, even though we were completely alone. "You know why, Audrey. I'm your professor. There are rules, expectations.."

"But you want to?" I pressed.

Edwin's eyes met mine, and the intensity I saw

took my breath away. "More than anything," he admitted.

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Chapter 91

We continued to dance in silence. I rested my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. He pulled me closer.

Third Person POV

The small gray wolf sat by herself in secluded corner of the garden, licking her wounds and cursing inwardly.

Tonight had been a complete bust. Every recent attempt to ruin Audrey had backfired spectacularly. Even planting the moths in Audrey's studio hadn't worked out because that human girl was too damn crafty. The wolf growled softly, wincing as she tended to the bite marks on her leg. That black wolf had come out of nowhere, ruining everything. She had been so close to finally getting rid of Audrey once and for all. As she licked her wounds, the wolf replayed the events of the night in her mind. The tear gas in the bathroom had failed. Max had been caught and humiliated. And now, her final attempt to attack Audrey directly had been thwarted by that

mysterious black wolf.

Who was he, anyway? Some secret protector Audrey had? A new boyfriend, maybe? It didn't matter. Whoever he was, he was now on the gray wolf's list too.

Sighing, the small gray wolf shifted back into her human form, grimacing as the transformation pulled at her injuries. She stood up slowly, testing her weight on her injured leg. It would heal quickly enough, thanks to her werewolf metabolism, but for now, it hurt like hell.

This isn't over," she muttered to herself as she limped away, a wry smile touching her lips.

She paused, pressing her hands into the base of a tree. The moon slipped out from behind a cloud, illuminating the garden. The orchestra, playing music at a masquerade that she should have been invited to, wafted through the quiet air.

Linda grimaced, her fingernails digging so hard into the tree that they left gouges in their wake.

Soon, she would get her revenge on Audrey. And there would be nothing that Audrey or her protector could do about it.

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